A drone film of the Hutt River, New Zealand is the centerpiece for analysis of how it can provoke shifts in affect, perception, and participation with a river and its underground aquifer. ‘The Rising Gale’ by Murray Hewitt was developed in relation to the art festival ‘Common ground’, 2017. ‘The Rising Gale Affect Event Film’ examine the affects produced by both the filming and the performance of the filming in this context and moves between the original drone film, ‘The Rising Gale’ and the community gathering. It thus explores affect in and through modulation of the filmic material and sound cue in order to provoke and elucidates shifts in affect and perception. ‘The Rising Gale Affect Event Film’ was shown 2018 at the Affects, Interfaces, Events Conference exhibition, Aarhus DK, and served as the exploration and discussion spine for the presentation ‘Drone film as sensorial interfaces promoting experiences of invisible aquifer’ presented at the conference.